Clean Eating Pumpkin Oatmeal Casserole (from The Gracious Pantry)

Well, I know my last post said I was trying crockpot white chicken chili.  Let's just say - we are still in the test phases with that.  HOWEVER, in my endeavor to eat more clean and healthy, I found a wonderful website that you will love as well.  http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/.  It is penned by a lovely lady with years of work and research, Tiffany.  She's just like you and I and she is very accessible if you even need to email her with questions.


I was looking for something dairy free for breakfast after I discovered the reasons I had been sick on and off lately was due to an allergy in milk protein.  I got off the dairy for a week and I haven't ever felt better in my life but then I thought - what am I gonna eat for breakfast - that I can bring to work??  Then I found Tiffany's website.  This stuff is WONDERFUL!  I just stock up on the after Thanksgiving pumpkin sales at the grocery and modified it a little since I couldn't find fresh cranberries out of season but other than that  - I eat this EVERY DAY!

The recipe is way easy and a small amount (about 1/8 of the recipe) is VERY filling.  I love to heat it up in the microwave for about 30-35seconds and it makes a great dessert with either clean ice cream or whipped cream on it - or just eat it for breakfast!

I make this every Sunday (like the gravy) so I can have a grab-n-go breakfast for work.  See below portions in plastic wear. 

 Clean Eating Pumpkin Oatmeal Casserole - from http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-pumpkin-oatmeal-casserole/

(Makes approximately 12 servings – I found it makes more like 8 servings but that's just me.)

Ingredients

• 4 cups unsweetened almond milk (I used no sugar added Vanilla flavored Almond Milk)
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 1 cup prepared pumpkin (canned or home baked)
• 1 cup fresh cranberries (since I made this in Feb. I couldn't find fresh so I did 1/2C dried cranberries)
• 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, no sugar added
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups steel cut oats (I didn't have these but had a Costco sized Old Fashioned Quaker Oats added about an additional 1/4C of those)
• 1/2 cup golden raisins

Ok so I already took a bite before the photo but I couldn't resist!!!

Directions

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Step 2 -In a casserole dish (9×13), blend together the almond milk, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, honey and vanilla. Stir gently until completely combined.

Step 3 -Add the oats, pecans, cranberries and raisins. Stir briefly to combine.

Step 4 -Bake for 45 minutes or until the casserole is soft and cooked through.

You can find the original recipe here --> Clean Eating Pumpkin Oatmeal Casserole

as well as a TON of other great clean eating recipes.  And if you have clean eating questions - Tiffany is a GREAT resource.  Clean Eating Pumpkin Oatmeal Casserole - a TOTAL YUMMY FABU FIND!!!

Hey Y'all!  I am a firm believer that yes there is "Crockpot Season", starting around September and ending around April.  However, as a nouveaux southerner, I am always trying to find ways to use my crockpot out of season so my house doesn't get hot in the summer from using the stove and oven.  I have discovered what I think is a great clean eating chicken chili.  It's a white chili that is lighter than its beefy and red sauce counterpart.

Also, I am doing the beans from dry beans for the first time along with this new recipe I found.  I was kind of hesitant thinking making beans "the old fashioned way" was going to be a chore - but trust me it is not.  Rinse and drain.  The soak in 6Cups water over night in a pot.  If you put it together right before you go to bed - they are ready to go in the morning when you wake up.  Just like if you opened a can to throw them into the crock pot.

Anyway - if this chicken chili comes out good - I will post it.  I came in from shopping and the house smelled SOOOO GOOOOOD and we still have 3hrs to go.

Stay tuned my little tomatoes!

Latin Grilled (or baked) Chicken

Darren was having a steak and I really am not a steak eater - I know HOW CAN THAT BE?!  It is what it is and I was feeling spicy so I came up with this Latin Chicken recipe - super easy and YUMMY FAB!  AND clean eating friendly!  (If you want more than one just double, triple or how ever many the recipe)

1 boneless skinless chicken breast

1T olive oil

1/4C white wine (I used a Portuguese white slightly fizzy wine - which also is a nice pairing for this dish)

1/2 T cumin

1 heaping t  minced garlic 

the juice of ½ lime

Salt and pepper to taste

Place all in a bowl and stir.  Cover and marinate at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator

You can put this either on the grill (which is how I did it – actually Darren grilled because GADS! I can't grill) until there's no pink in the middle.  

If you don't grill, like me, and you don't have someone who can grill it for you, you can also bake this.  Pour everything in the bowl in a pyrex dish and bake in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes.

Serve this with the Black Beans and Brown Rice Confetti (recipe coming soon!)– YUMMY!!!  


PS - I doubled the marinate and marinated some chicken kabobs in the marinate and that was on Saturday and it's Monday and Darren is still talking about how much he loved it!